


Daisuga Soul Eater AU

by capuberra



Series: Soul Eater AU [6]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soul Eater Fusion, Comfort, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Eventual Relationships, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Pre-Relationship, Soul Eater AU, daisuga - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 10:15:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25967992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/capuberra/pseuds/capuberra
Summary: A series of short vignettes from different points in Daichi & Suga's relationship
Relationships: Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi
Series: Soul Eater AU [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1828159
Comments: 3
Kudos: 25





	1. First Meeting

Daichi drifted to the edge of the crowd, taking small sips of his punch as he tried to decide who to approach next. So far the night had been a string of pleasant, totally underwhelming conversations. Sure he’d met plenty of nice people, maybe even new friends, but he was still waiting for some gut feeling, an intuitive understanding, to tell him that he’d met his _partner_. 

Honestly, some of his future classmates were...intimidating, maybe? Strange? A combination of both? He’d met a pair of childhood friends who had already resonated souls a few times before coming to the DWMA (something he refrained from reminding them was against the rules). Two younger kids, one of whom was somehow already rumored to be a genius meister, were dragged away for brawling. And now the timid, long-haired guy who he’d chatted with earlier was listening to whoever the hell was shouting nonsense from the roof of the Academy. Daichi sighed, muttering to himself. “Am I the only regular guy here?”

“No, I’m normal.”

Daichi started, almost spilling his drink. The voice belonged to a boy with silver hair, just long enough to be tucked behind his ears, who was glancing sideways at him with a smile. Daichi had been so overwhelmed by the spectacle before him that he hadn’t noticed someone standing so close by, and now the realization made his face burn. The boy seemed to misread his embarrassment and scratched his head, quickly adding, “Sorry- that was weird, wasn’t it? I don’t think normal people usually have to say ‘I’m normal.’” 

Daichi chuckled, finally finding his voice. “No, no, you’re fine. I think with this crowd normal is something you have to announce.”

“Don’t get me wrong,” he said, a glint coming into his eyes, “I’m here to kick ass and take souls. I just don’t need all the theatrics.” He laughed, clear and good-naturedly, and suddenly all awkwardness between them dissipated.

“From the look of everyone here I might end up being the most boring Death Scythe in history,” Daichi grinned, “But still, I’ll be one some day.”

They both snickered. The boy hesitated, only for a second, before he turned to face him and thrust out his hand. “Koshi Sugawara. Meister.” 

“Daichi Sawamura. Weapon.” 

In the instant their hands clasped, Daichi knew. 

This was his partner. 


	2. First Soul

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set a few months after Ch 1

Suga and Daichi sighed as they gazed up at the assignment board. Their eyes skimmed over the missions marked for novice one-star meisters, the lowest of the low, but nothing jumped out at them. They had awaited this moment so eagerly that when it finally came time for them to collect their first soul they had no idea where to start. To make matters worse, more and more of their classmates were completing their inaugural missions ahead of them. Just the day before, Kuroo had come swaggering by and laid his hand heavily on Daichi’s shoulder, smirking, “One down, ninety-nine to go. Better keep up, Sawamura.” A week before that, Bokuto had practically broken down the Academy’s door to announce that he was one soul stronger. 

Daichi deflated. “This pressure is killing me, I can’t even choose.”

Suga let out a determined huff of air. He gave his partner a swift chop to the ribs, a habit Daichi still hadn’t gotten used to. “No negativity, we can do this!” He bit his lip, looking warily at the board. “Aha!” Suga’s face lit up. “If picking is too hard, we just won’t pick.”

Still hunched over, Daichi raised a brow. “What do you mean? We have to decide eventually.”

Sugawara held up a finger, a grin spreading over his face. Suddenly he cupped his hands over his mouth and yelled down the hallway, “Hey, Asahi! What’s a number between one and sixteen?” 

Their friend, leaning with Nishinoya and Tanaka against the wall, called, “Um, seven?”

“Seven it is.” Suga turned back to the board and snatched one of the wooden tokens off the wall. “The Street Sweeper of Balore,” he read. “What do you think?”

Daichi mirrored his smile. “I think we’ve found our first soul.”

They were briefed by Professor Ukai and left a day later. They talked quietly on the train ride up to the small northern town of Balore, trying to keep their nerves down without breaking their focus. Their target worked during the day, using the town’s famous winding alleys to his advantage and devouring human souls. Suga had a hunch about the killer’s pattern so they wasted no time getting to work upon arrival. Their approach was cautious, letting the demon know they were tailing him without revealing themselves outright. Within the hour they managed to pin him in a dead end. Suga pressed up against the wall around the corner with Daichi in hand. All that remained was the attack.

Daichi steeled himself for battle, waiting for his partner to spring into action. But one second, two seconds ticked by and the only movement he could detect was a slight tremor in Suga’s hand.

Suddenly, his partner let out a ragged breath. “Daichi,” he whispered hoarsely, “I- I can’t-”

“Suga? What’s wrong?”

“I’ve never felt pressure like this before,” Suga gasped, “My feet- they feel like they're rooted to the ground.”

Daichi left weapon mode to put his hands on Sugawara’s shoulders. “Koshi, listen to me.” His dark eyes were wide, his voice urgent and low. “I’m terrified right now. Every part of me is screaming not to turn that corner. But it’ll be okay— you know why? Because we’re a _team_. I trust you with my life, I have to now. And I promise you, I’ll protect yours with everything I have.”

Suga swallowed, blinking slowly. He didn’t have time to flounder. “I trust you, Daichi.” He rested his hands on his partner’s forearms and took a deep breath. “Let’s do this.”

A smile flashed over Daichi’s face as he transformed back into a weapon. Suga drew in another breath and forced himself to whirl around the corner before his resolve could give out. “Kishin! We’ve come for your soul!” His voice shook but the words echoed loud against the brick walls. 

He pointed his sword at the figure, barely human, that loomed at the end of the street. The blade glinted in the sun, black as night and mortally sharp. Suga felt Daichi’s calming soul waves wash over him, strengthening him. “ _Let’s go, soul resonance!”_

The fight was over before they knew it. When Suga leaned against the wall, catching his breath as he watched Daichi devour the floating red soul, the last ten minutes felt like a blur. “We did it,” he sighed, unbelieving. 

“Yeah,” Daichi nodded, “Our first soul.”

“Our first soul,” Suga repeated. They blinked at each other, smiles growing as the words sunk in. “Our first soul!”

They threw their arms around each other, laughing giddily. When they pulled apart Daichi kept his hand clasped around Suga’s. “This is just the beginning,” he said, eye glinting.

Suga nodded, his heart swelling with a strange, fluttering warmth. At another time they would’ve noticed their gazes holding for a beat too long, or the moment of hesitation as they dropped their hands, but in their excitement they didn’t care. They had their first soul. They were on their way.


	3. First Failure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suga seeks comfort in his partner's arms after an assignment goes poorly.

Suga rolled over in bed for the umpteenth time that night. His body was exhausted, muscles aching and bones heavy, but his mind was wide awake. Every time he closed his eyes the day’s events played out on his eyelids and forced them back open. 

It was supposed to be a good mission. They were on a winning streak, racking up souls and improving their resonance. Of course they weren’t becoming as well-known as some of their classmates, but that just got them even more fired up to prove themselves. “We’ll show them what normal guys are capable of,” Daichi had said, flashing a smile. 

But everything turned out wrong. There were kids by the lake where the demon was holed up, ignoring the signs warning them to stay away. He and Daichi were confident they could manage. If that two-star meister hadn’t found them at the last minute—

The sheets twisted in Suga’s fist. He couldn’t get the sound of the monster shattering their soul resonance attack out of his head. Suddenly the covers felt suffocating and hot. He kicked them off, glancing at the clock. 3:47AM. He rolled out of bed and dragged a hand down his face.

Suga was surprised to open his door and find Daichi sitting on the couch, sipping tea in the low light. “Can’t sleep either, huh?” his partner asked with a thin smile. Suga nodded, his stomach dropping when his eyes came to rest on the fresh stitches above his eye. Daichi patted the cushions. “Join me.”

He hesitated. “Can I-?”

Daichi understood what he meant and shifted, lifting his arm so Suga could nestle against his chest. They had barely been partners for a year but their souls were attuned enough that things like that didn’t really need to be said aloud anymore. Suga sighed, wondering how he ever got along without Daichi’s quiet understanding.

“I can’t stop thinking about it,” he mumbled, “I thought I had prepared enough. I should’ve been protecting those kids, but instead _I_ was the one who needed saving. I couldn’t even protect my own weapon—”

Daichi cut him off, the grip on his shoulder tightening. “Don’t start with that, Koshi. We failed, there’s no sugar coating that. But that just means we have to work harder next time. You can’t blame yourself.”

Suga was quiet for a second, then snorted. “Like you weren’t sitting here torturing yourself the exact same way.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t say it out loud,” Daichi laughed dryly. 

“That’s worse, stupid.”

Daichi huffed but made no retort, absently caressing his partner’s arm with his thumb. Suga was comforted by the gentle rise and fall of Daichi’s breathing, the weight of the arm resting on his shoulder, the solidity of his body as Suga wrapped his arms around his waist. Slowly, they relaxed under each other’s healing touch and the knots in their chests unfurled. At some point silent tears began to roll down their cheeks, but neither moved. Instead they just let them flow, soaking into the front of Daichi’s t-shirt until their eyes were puffy and dry. Eventually their wracking breaths slowed to a steady rhythm and they slipped into a deep slumber, clinging tightly to one another.


	4. Realizations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set ~six months after the previous chapter, Suga & Daichi each have little moments that make them realize something big

Suga was having a day so terrible it was almost comical. 

When he stubbed his toe on the way to the bathroom that morning, he’d tried not to take it as a bad omen. But then he burned himself making breakfast. And then he got three questions wrong in a row during class. And then he got so engrossed at the library that he was late to his supplementary martial arts lesson with Professor Washijo, of all people— and he only had to take that extra class in the first place because he’d twisted his ankle last week. And looming over all of it was the fact that he and Daichi hadn’t collected a soul in nearly two months.

Suga sighed, shouldering his bag as he trotted down the DWMA steps. Anxiety was settling cold and heavy in his stomach as knots of stress tightened his shoulders. He felt like the sun hanging low over Death City, fighting against exhaustion as night crept ever closer, but he clenched his fist and gritted his teeth against the feeling. He was a meister— he couldn’t afford to give up or take a breather. Every injury, every mistake didn’t just set _him_ back; Daichi was relying on him, too. The _world_ was relying on him, to keep peace and cut down evil souls before they could become kishin eggs. 

No, he couldn’t stand still. He had to keep moving forward, but the dull ache in his ankle reminded him that it was easier said than done. He hadn’t even come close to learning Soul Force, the technique that truly distinguished the advanced meisters and let them stand on their own in battle. Suga’s brow knit. If he could master that, he wouldn’t have to rely so much on Daichi. His partner always talked about laying his life on the line for his meister, but could Suga say the same if the tables were turned? When push came to shove, could he really protect his friend on his own?

He was dangerously close to spiraling when noticed he’d walked right past their apartment. 

“Daichi, I’m home!” Suga called as he stooped to remove his shoes in the entryway. He froze, suddenly remembering something important. “Fuck! I was supposed to bring home dinner,” he moaned, smacking himself on the forehead. “I’m sorry, I can run out and grab something-”

“No need!” Daichi appeared from the kitchen, drying his hands on a towel. “Since you weren’t going to be home until late, I cooked.” When Suga just blinked at him Daichi laughed softly and pulled him to the table, pushing him down into a seat. “You seem exhausted lately, so I made your favorite.”

Suga’s eyes went wide. “Mapo tofu?”

Daichi grinned, setting down two steaming dishes. “Extra spicy, just how you like it.”

Words failed him. Suga honest to God thought he might cry. He dug in, each ravenous bite soothing his frayed nerves. Neither of them were incredible cooks, but nothing in the world could beat the taste of food made with such care. The fuller the belly got, the easier it was to banish the swirling cloud of worries that had followed him home. Eventually a glow replaced the aching knot in his chest, and Suga slowed down enough to finally thank his partner for the meal. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Daichi,” he sighed fondly. 

In that moment, he was taken unawares by a thought, longing and warm: he never wanted to make do without Daichi again.

The next moment his heart pounded, a resounding _thump_ that sent a shockwave of clarity through his entire body. A piece of tofu fell from his chopsticks and splashed back into the pool of sauce. Suga had to bite his tongue to keep from saying _what the fuck_ aloud. He had practically just pictured them eating mapo tofu side by side in the same nursing home. Had he always felt this way? His mind raced, piecing together hundreds of little moments that had led to this one. Tendrils of heat crept up Suga’s neck, making his heart stutter. 

“-Are you okay?” Daichi was staring at him.

He flushed and pretended to have a coughing fit. “Yeah, just uh- spicy.”

Daichi immediately jumped up from the table. “Let me get you some water.”

Suga accepted it incredulously, marveling aloud, “You’re so dependable it’s stupid, you know that?”

Daichi blinked, his eyes wide with a wondering expression that Suga just realized was utterly adorable. His lip curled into a smirk. “Would you rather I let you choke?”

For a second, as he basked in his partner’s smile, Suga wondered if this epiphany of his was a point of no return, if he’d never be able to act the same with Daichi again. But then he realized that this was all he wanted, to come home and find this ever-steady soul waiting for him.

Suga snorted and picked up his fallen tofu. “After the day I’ve had, I just might.”

Daichi grinned. “Washijo kicked your ass that bad, huh?”

* * *

“You ready?”

“Yep! Just getting my shoes on.” Daichi hopped up from the couch, stretching one last time before he and Suga went for their morning run. “Do you want to go through the park or-” He glanced over at the front door where his partner was waiting and suddenly the question died on his lips. 

Suga was wearing a black sweatshirt with DWMA splashed across the chest. Suga was wearing _his_ black sweatshirt with DWMA splashed across the chest. 

It was a little too big for him, sloping off his shoulders and swallowing his lean torso. The sleeves were pushed up to his elbows, revealing the smooth skin of his forearms. 

Heat exploded in Daichi’s cheeks. “That’s my hoodie,” he said dumbly.

“Oh shit, is it? I thought the fit was weird.” Suga pulled at the fabric with a frown. “Sorry, I must’ve gotten it mixed up when I was sorting the laundry.” He looked up at Daichi, raising a brow at his stupefied expression. “Do you want me to change?” he asked, tilting his head like he always did when he was confused. 

Daichi swallowed. He’d been noticing little details about Suga like that lately: mannerisms he hadn’t thought to find charming before, the magnetism of his eyes, how his laugh was always sweet and clear. So far he’d only been able to admit _why_ he noticed those things when staring into the blackness of his room late at night. But for some reason seeing Suga in his sweatshirt had brought those feelings bursting to the surface and literally written all over his face. “No- it’s fine,” he managed to sputter out.

“Are you sure, Daichi? Your face is really...red.” Suga’s voice, along with jaw, dropped. He looked between the sweatshirt and Daichi. Suddenly a flush of understanding blossomed over his cheeks. “Oh,” was all he said. His lips pressed together to hide a smile but Daichi could see mischief playing in his eyes. “Let’s just go on our run, ‘kay? We don’t wanna be late for class.”

“Yeah,” Daichi sighed, grateful that his partner wasn’t pressing any further. He could feel Suga’s eyes on him as they set out on their run, but he kept his composure as best he could and eventually his embarrassed blush was forgotten in the flush of exertion. 


	5. A Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suga finally works up the nerve to tell Daichi how he feels

Suga was ninety percent sure that Daichi had feelings for him. The percentage had gone up significantly since the sweatshirt incident a few weeks earlier, when he saw that telling flush spread across Daichi’s face. Ever since, their lives had been a minefield of gazes held just a moment too long, heat flashing across skin at the barest brush, faltering words swallowed before they could be spoken. It wasn’t like Suga to beat around the bush— he usually had no qualms about making his feelings known— but those last seeds of doubt were sown deep and pinned him down. Daichi was _so_ responsible. It made him a great partner, and Suga could always trust that he’d never do anything to endanger their partnership. But now that was exactly the problem. Everyone had heard horror stories of weapons and meisters whose bond was shattered after a romantic relationship gone wrong, who had to start all over again with a new partner. And as much as Suga yearned for something more between Daichi and himself, he didn’t want to take that risk unless he was _certain_ it would pay off.

So for now he was utterly paralyzed with no idea what to do, and he bemoaned as much to his friends at the Death City Diner. 

“This sucks,” he sighed, leaning his forehead against the table.

Poor Asahi, who was hearing this for the third time that week, patted his arm. “It’ll be fine Suga, you’ll figure it out,” he said, clearly distraught from being the comforter, not the comforted. “You just have to do what feels right, like, in your heart.”

“Asahi-i,” Suga groaned, “You wishy-washy sentimental bastard.” 

“Listen, Suga,” Tanaka cut in, his legs hooked up on the corner of their table, “You’re the second most responsible person I know, after Daichi, so whatever you decide it’s gotta be the right thing!”

Noya nodded in agreement. “Besides, it’s weird to see you and Daichi caught up in drama like this. I mean what’s gonna happen when we need you to sort one of us out? Who’s gonna help then?” He got a light elbow in the side from Asahi.

Tanaka’s legs were unceremoniously yanked off the table as his sister walked by, pausing to lean against their booth with a tray tucked under her arm. “What’s this I hear? You finally making a move on Sawamura, huh, silver fox?” Saeko grinned wolfishly, “I knew you two had the hots for each other.”

“Yeah, since you started eavesdropping on us two minutes ago,” Tanaka grumbled.

“It’s called a woman’s intuition, Ryu, you little twerp.” Saeko grabbed him by the cheek, pinching viciously until he swatted her away. “So, what’s the plan for the first date?”

Suga frowned. “I haven’t even decided if I’m going to ask him out. I mean, I’m his meister and-”

“Forget all that crap!” Saeko shook her head. “Doesn’t being his partner mean you can trust him with anything, including your feelings? Don’t be a coward! Just grab your first instinct, whatever’s screaming at you from in here-” she thumped her chest- “And go for it!”

Suga raised his head, blinking slowly. Suddenly a glint came into his eyes and his face flushed red. “That’s it!” He banged his fist against the table and jumped up. “You’re a genius, Saeko!” he cried, grabbing her briefly by the shoulders before turning on his heel and dashing for the door. “I have to go! I’ll see you guys tomorrow!” The bell above the entrance tinkled and in a gust of cold autumn air he was gone. 

“Wow, Saeko, you’re so wise,” Nishinoya grinned.

“Thanks, Yuu,” she winked, flipping her hair triumphantly as she walked away. 

Asahi gave him a disbelieving glare, looking wounded. “I basically said the same thing!” 

Suga could barely hear his feet pounding against the pavement through the blood pumping in his ears. The steam from his gasping breaths clouded his vision, but as he rounded the last corner he could make out his partner standing on the balcony of their third floor apartment. A smile tugged at the corner of Suga’s mouth— if he’d done that, Daichi would probably lecture him about getting sick. He came to a halt in front of their building, staring up at their balcony as he caught his breath like he wasn’t in the middle of the road. Daichi was leaning against the railing with his back to the street, reading something and wearing the black turtleneck Suga always told him was his favorite.

Suga grinned, feeling dazed from the overwhelmingly warm feeling that flooded his veins. This was right, he knew that now. He sucked in a breath and hollered. 

“Daichi Sawamura!”

He snickered as his partner jumped, nearly dropping his book. Daichi whipped around, looking left and right before he finally looked down. “Suga?” he called, “What’s wrong?”

Suga threw out his arms. “I want to kiss you!”

Even from the ground, he could see the color drain from Daichi’s face. He leaned further over the railing. “What? Why are you in the street?”

“I _like_ you, Daichi!” Suga laughed freely, “I don’t give a shit anymore— not about the risks, or the cautionary tales, or about totally embarrassing myself! I really like you, and I think you like me too!”

Daichi chuckled, short and disbelieving. His face was starting to turn red but he smiled down at Suga. “Get out of the street! I-I’m coming down, Koshi-”

Suga scrambled to the sidewalk as a car turned the corner, fumbling hurriedly with his keys. Finally he yanked the front door open and clamored up the stairs. Above him he could hear footsteps and he called again, “Daichi!”

The collided on the second floor landing, falling into a heaving heap against the wall. Daichi rubbed his head, looking at him with wide eyes. “What the hell are you-”

“Can I kiss you?” Suga grabbed his shoulders tight. Daichi hesitated and Suga shook him insistently. “Dammit, Sawamura! Don’t think, just answer me. Do you want to kiss me?”

“Yes!”

Daichi almost seemed surprised when the words came out, but a smile dawned slowly over his face as he reached out for his partner. “Yes, yes, I like you, I want to ki-”

Suga cut him off. Their lips met and it was like coming home, like the most perfect soul resonance, like every wavelength in the universe was in perfect harmony. Daichi’s kiss was soft, infinitely tender, but the hands that held either side of Suga’s face and drew him closer were firm. They pulled away for a second, smiling and gasping and blinking at each other from an inch apart, but Suga didn’t want to let go yet. He didn’t want to let go _ever_. He breathed Daichi’s name and chased his lips for another kiss, and another.

“Koshi,” Daichi murmured when they heard the front door open, “We should probably stop making out on someone else’s landing.” Suga snickered and helped him up, keeping their hands clasped as they slowly ambled up to their own floor. Neither of them could stop smiling. Daichi shook his head. “You’re just so...”

“Irresponsible?” Suga grinned.

Daichi laughed, leaning to kiss his forehead. “I was going to say amazing. Did you get this crazy idea from Nishinoya?”

“I actually went to Asahi for advice, but it was Saeko who inspired me.”

“Well that explains it,” he smirked, “I’ll bet Asahi told you the exact same thing he told me last week.”

Suga’s eyes went wide. “He knew you had feelings for me this whole time and didn’t say anything? That coward, I’m gonna punch him right in the gut next time I see him.”

Daichi bumped his shoulder, eyes rolling. “I’m the coward, I was terrified that you’d reject me and I’d ruin everything, so I never made a move. But here you are, barreling right into it.”

Suga squeezed his hand. “I was scared, too, y’know. But Daichi...you mean everything to me.”

They were in front of their apartment. Daichi turned, and Suga felt his face start to burn again as he searched his eyes. He leaned in and kissed him again, savoring the touch he had yearned for for so long. 

“C’mon,” Daichi said, “I’ll start dinner.”

“Oh, are we about to have our first date?” Suga grinned mischievously as he unlocked the door. He rested his elbow on Daichi’s shoulder. “Are you nervous? What are we gonna talk about? Y’know if this doesn’t go well I might not call you back for a second one.”

Daichi threw his head back, his laughter light and carefree. “Don’t worry, I think we’ll have plenty to talk about.”

They walked into their home with hands entwined, faces glowing with the warmth of something new, something right.


	6. Dueling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daichi and Suga are pitted against Iwaizumi and Oikawa, and take the opportunity to showcase a new move

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is basically just a long fight scene, so if that's not your thing...sorry lol

Daichi stifled a yawn, rubbing his face and blinking in the pale light. He considered himself a morning person, but even he didn’t understand why Nekomata and Ukai Sr. insisted on starting class so freakishly early when they observed. Still, he supposed he should be grateful for the opportunity to learn from one of the Academy’s most famous weapon/meister pairs; although he suspected the retired fighters just got bored drinking coffee outside the same cafe all day and wanted an excuse to harass Ikkei’s grandson. 

“Alright, who’s next?” Professor Ukai tapped a pen against his clipboard, scanning the group of bleary-eyed students who stared blankly back at him.

“I see this group likes to hide behind the over-zealous types,” Nekomata said, smiling in the direction of the students who were sitting back after eagerly volunteering for their fights. A lot of them were his friends, Daichi noted with a sigh. He really hung around a bunch of psychos. “-Or maybe it’s just a case of the Mondays?”

The older Ukai let out a gruff laugh, hooking his arm roughly around his grandson’s neck. “You’re too soft on these kids, Keishin! Back in my day you learned quick that there was no hiding from me during lessons.”

“Yeah, yeah, I remember, Gramps,” Keishin grumbled, extricating himself from the old man’s grip. He surveyed the group again, raising his voice. “Let’s go guys!” Someone was talking in poorly hushed tones at the other end of the group but Daichi couldn’t make out who it was. “I know it’s early but- _ah_. Oikawa!” Ukai smiled, gesturing with his pen as he zeroed in on the chatter. “Thank you for volunteering! Who’s going to face him and Iwaizumi?”

A chorus of snickers rose from the class as the pair trudged to the center of the open ring. Iwaizumi was glaring daggers at his partner but Oikawa didn’t seem too bothered. “How about King Tobio and Shortie Pie get their asses kicked again?” he smirked, “The shrimp’s got two weapon forms, he should fight twice.”

Hinata and Kageyama’s heads snapped eagerly to the professor, apparently itching to fight again after indeed getting their asses kicked by Aran and the Miya twins. 

“No,” Ukai said flatly.

Daichi glanced around and took note of who had already dueled. Most of their usual sparring partners had gone and moved to the other side of the courtyard, but Kuroo and Kenma were still nearby. It wouldn’t be an easy fight, but it would at least be familiar, Daichi mused. And with no time to do his usual exercises before class he wouldn’t mind something familiar to work through the morning stiffness in his muscles. It sure as hell would be better than going up against _Oikawa_ , who so far that year had only been bested by Tendo and Ushijima. He was about to lean over and whisper as much to Suga, when suddenly his partner’s hand shot up into the air.

“We’ll fight them.”

Daichi blinked. “We will?”

Suga smacked his cheek playfully. “You’re not about to get lazy on me, are you?” He laughed, a threatening sound.

Before Daichi could even protest hands gave him reassuring pats on the shoulder and pushed them toward the open circle. “Guess not,” Daichi chuckled, quickly squeezing Suga’s hand.

“Good. And I hope you’re in the mood to show off, Daichi,” Suga said, giving him a sharp sideways glance.

The moment he understood a shiver of anticipation ran up his spine. So, that was Suga’s motivation— the card up their sleeve that they had yet to play. Daichi stopped and held out his fist, the sluggishness in his muscles suddenly vanished. He really should’ve been used to it, how Koshi could change his whole mood with a few words, but his cheeks flushed with warm admiration anyway. “Let’s show them what we’ve got.”

Suga nodded, bumping his fist. Professor Ukai called for them to hurry up and with a deep exhale Daichi transformed. 

Suga turned over the sword in his hands. The blade was a deep, warm black like Daichi’s eyes, as sharp as his admonitions, and perfectly balanced. He let out a satisfied huff. He’d been waiting for this fight, and from the feeling radiating from Daichi’s soul he knew it was going to be a good one.

He turned to his opponents. Iwaizumi was waiting patiently, but Oikawa was watching them with a strange, unreadable mix of emotions in his smile. “Thanks for waiting while I sorted this one out,” Suga called with a light laugh, holding up the sword, “We’re ready.”

Oikawa hummed, one brow raised. “Was that supposed to be Mr. Pleasant and Mr. Reliable’s version of a lover’s quarrel?”

“Tooru, it’s too early for you to be this lame,” Iwa grumbled, putting a hand on his shoulder. 

Oikawa shot him a glowering look but said simply, “Fine, fine. This should be an interesting fight.” His voice got a little louder. “And a short one.” 

Iwa muttered something else in his partner’s ear, his gaze flickering to Suga, before he transformed into a gleaming silver trident with a flash of light. Oikawa spun it a few times in his hand before sliding into a ready stance, the three sharp prongs leveled at Suga’s head.

They were still for a long moment, tension tightening the silence of the crowd, until Ukai gave them the starting signal and Suga took off running. He couldn’t let Oikawa gain the upper hand right out of the gate, not if they wanted to last more than a minute. 

Suga came in slashing from the side, hoping to play up the advantages of Daichi’s blade form. Oikawa defended, metal hissing against metal as he pushed back against the swipe. Suga wouldn’t let up, attacking again and again in search of an opening, but with Oikawa’s sharp eye and swift reflexes he easily matched each blow.

“Are you making your moves this readable just to be polite?” Oikawa grinned.

Before Suga could reply he caught the butt of the trident in his stomach, knocking the air out of his lungs in a sharp burst of pain. He rolled backwards, trying to catch his breath. 

“Suga- incoming!” Daichi’s voice sounded in his head.

Suga rolled again and the tri-pronged weapon lodged into the ground where his head had been only a moment ago. “Dammit,” Suga hissed as he scrambled up. Oikawa didn’t give them a moment to recover, zeroing in with a combination of sharp jabs and handle blows that left Suga dodging endlessly. 

His mind was racing, trying to process every bit of information he could about his opponent’s style without getting skewered like a fish. He knew exactly what trap needed to be laid, but the timing wasn’t right, not yet. He just needed—

Suddenly his momentum was interrupted. Oikawa caught his blade between the trident’s prongs, close to the hilt, and twisted upward. The black sword was ripped from his grip and sent flying. “Daichi!” Suga called, only letting his eyes leave Oikawa for a second. 

A murmur rippled through the spectators. Professor Ukai raised his whistle to his lips, but Nekomata laid a hand on his arm. Still whirling, Daichi returned to human form just long enough to hit the Academy wall with both feet and launch himself back into the air. “Koshi!”

The distraction bought Suga a crucial second to dodge out of Oikawa’s immediate range. _This is it_ , he thought, a grin spreading over his face. “Let’s go, Dai!” He leapt up to grab the hilt that came spinning toward him, “Soul resonance!” 

As he dug his heels into the ground Suga took a deep breath and braced for the surge of energy as their soulwaves synced. When they resonated it felt like turning the key on some complex machine built of perfectly corresponding parts. Their souls were cogs falling into place, every notch and groove fitting together until the machinery ticked away in a steady, unerring rhythm that never faltered. 

Suga slowly exhaled, taking a few swipes at the air. “Are you alright, Daichi?”

“It’ll take more than that to bring me down,” Daichi said. It sounded like he was smiling. “We’re in good form today. Our resonance rate is higher than usual, but it’s stable.”

“Yeah, it feels...faster.” Suga nodded, eyeing the other side of the open circle where Oikawa stood, waiting to pounce. “So, you ready to take down this pretty boy?”

Daichi snorted. “You sound like Tanaka.”

A crooked smile spread over Suga’s face as he egged Oikawa on with a flex of his hand. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

He braced himself as Oikawa pulled back his arm and threw the trident, side-stepping at the last second to hit it away with his sword. He pivoted again when Oikawa dove and grabbed his weapon, rolling smoothly into a fierce upward jab. Suga fell back slightly into a defensive position, keeping his breathing even. Everything was falling into place. Their soul resonance gave him a renewed clarity of sight, a sharpness to his reflexes, and he made sure to parry each strike with his blade rather than ducking out of the way. They dodged and wove their way slowly around the ring, parting and coming back together in a cacophony of clangs and grunts. Suga kept his eyes locked with Oikawa’s, hoping he didn’t catch on too quickly to the ripple of white that ran through the inky blackness of Daichi’s sword with every hit. Slowly but surely the color lightened to a polished silver and Daichi’s voice, usually vocalizing encouragement or warnings, fell silent.

“So this is your resonance power? I have to say, I’m disappointed,” Oikawa taunted through gritted teeth as they strained against each other, “Apparently you two really are as basic as everyone says.”

A wild grin spread over Suga’s face. “Good things come to those who wait, you know.”

Oikawa frowned as they burst apart, skidding back. He spun his weapon and planted the butt on the ground. “Let’s finish this, Iwa,” he said, eyes still on Sugawara.

There was a smattering of gasps from the meisters in class who could see souls as Oikawa and Iwaizumi resonated. The head of the trident began to spark, blue electricity crackling from the three prongs. When he gave it an experimental swing the current left a white trail of light in the air, like the afterimage of lightning. 

Suga narrowed his eyes, adjusting his grip. “Just a little longer, Daichi,” he murmured. “Are you ready?”

“Yes,” his partner answered in a strained voice.

Oikawa leveled his trident for a final blow and the two fighters rushed toward one another. A moment before collision Suga planted his feet and raised his sword, eyes wild. In the second his blade met metal he shouted, “Now!”

Daichi roared. Oikawa’s eyes widened. Suga smiled, and the rest was lost in a blinding flash of light. There was a resounding _bang_ and a dirt cloud engulfed the courtyard as Daichi released all the energy he’d been storing since they resonated.

When the dust settled and the class looked up, coughing and swatting the air, Suga was still standing with his sword raised. Oikawa was on the ground ten feet away, clutching his head as he slowly sat up. Iwaizumi was back in human form, breathing heavily. 

After a few beats of dazed silence, Ukai blew his whistle and the class burst into rousing applause. Daichi transformed, teetering slightly against Suga. 

“Daichi- are you alright?” Suga caught his partner by the elbow, steadying him and checking for injuries, bruises, anything.

Daichi was clearly exhausted, but his eyes glowed with a childlike excitement Suga rarely got to see. “We did it, Koshi,” he gasped, taking Suga’s face in his hands, “We won!”

Suga laughed, pulling him into a tight hug. “You were amazing,” he said over the din of their classmates, pressing a kiss to Daichi’s cheek. “Go get some water, ‘kay?” He nodded and Suga left him, trotting over to Oikawa. He thrust out his hand, smiling big. “Guess it wasn’t a short fight after all. Sorry if we bored you bit in the beginning.”

Oikawa looked up at him with narrowed eyes. “Ugh,” was all he said, standing up on his own and brushing the dirt from his t-shirt.

Suga didn’t get a chance to say anything else because Tanaka and Noya promptly launched themselves at him, knuckling his head and calling him a sneaky bastard, demanding to know when he’d gotten so damn cool. Even after they dragged him away to the rest of their friends it was a full five minutes before Ukai could call the class to order.

“Alright, alright, shut the hell up!” he barked. “Let’s keep this going, who’s next?”

To his surprise, eager hands shot up all around the ring as newly invigorated voices clamored for their chance to show off in the ring.


End file.
